Liverpool FC Victory Parade Incident Leaves Dozens Injured
A disturbing incident occurred during Liverpool FC’s victory parade on Monday, leaving nearly 50 fans injured after a van drove through the crowds celebrating the team’s Premier League triumph. Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram revealed that four of those hospitalized are “very, very ill” and that authorities can only hope they recover.
The driver, identified as a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area, was taken into custody after the incident. According to eyewitnesses, the van followed an ambulance into a street closed to traffic, panicked, and then accelerated into the crowd. Shocking footage shared on social media shows the vehicle ramming through the crowd, with bodies being thrown into the air and dragged under the wheels.
Out of the 47 injured, 20 were treated at the scene, and 27 were rushed to local hospitals, including children. The police have emphasized that the incident is not being investigated as a terrorist attack. Merseyside Police released the driver’s details just two hours after the incident, a decision described as “unprecedented” by former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent Dal Babu. The move was made to prevent speculation and misinformation spreading on social media, particularly from the far-right, as the incident occurred just a year after the Southport attack that led to riots.
Mayor Rotherham supported the police’s decision, stating that filling the information vacuum quickly was crucial to preventing speculation and misinformation. The city authorities and police are working to ensure that the situation remains calm and that the correct information is disseminated to the public.
The incident has left the community in shock, with fans and authorities alike mourning the disruption to what was supposed to be a joyous celebration of Liverpool FC’s achievement. The investigation continues, with the police working to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident.
